Even if you only intend to use it occaisionally, I feel it may ba a rather complicated process if you wish to be legal on the road with a homebuilt trailer. If someting nasty happens, you may find a large book inbound at you.

Suggest a look at the DVSA site to start with.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications...get-a-pass


I decided (read wimped out) a while back it was easier/cheaper to buy a suitable trailer for the job. (motorcycle one for hols) Cheers
Richard

(there are no such things as an ordinary FullFat, an ordinary cat or too many tools)
2011 TDV8 Vogue Santorini Black
Gap IIDBT

It wouldn't be a home built trailer. It would have braked hubs instead of the current un-braked and the coupling changed. 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

I'd also expect it to be cheaper to try to pick up a second hand UK trailer - there's usually plenty on eBay.

I'm not sure why your one isn't, but most US trailers are braked - I assume yours is designed for moving around a marina and not really of road use at all ?

How old are your tyres ?

You could do it, you'll need a compression hitch which do bolt on - then you'd likely need a new axle with braked hubs - which likely means new wheels too.

I've never converted one, but have owned a few.

Last edited by Alistair on 7th Nov 2021 11:14am. Edited 1 time in total

In America, brakes aren't mandatory on lighter trailers so, the trailer is actually currently rated up to 1.6T un-braked. There should either be some braked hubs and I can buy and get fitted to suit these trailers (as they're pretty common in the US and the design has hardly changed in 25 years).

Getting the coupling isn't an issue - there's plenty 70mm box couplings available in the UK. It seems to be a question over hubs - whether the axle needs changing or whether just the hubs can be swapped.

I think one way of doing it is getting a braked axle from a caravan, as the caravans tend to rot away before the trailers do. Then it's just a case of brake cables to the coupling. Not a massive job once I know the best way to tackle it. 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

I'm not a caravan expert - do they come with leaf springs ?

I've had a braked version of that trailer before - it was a solid axle bolted to the springs. I think it was complete with hubs welded on rather than something replaceable - but could be wrong.

If you can source a complete axle then that is likely best, then just a question of how well it copes with marine use....

BTW - I though the US towing laws were broadly similar to the UK - 1500lbs unbraked, which is about the same as our 750kg.

Last edited by Alistair on 7th Nov 2021 11:22am. Edited 1 time in total

I have grabbed some photos of the one which has been converted, which is exactly how you describe. It has had a non-original axle fitted to the leaf springs with welded on hubs, plus a 2nd hand coupling.

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Something like this - https://www.westerntowing.co.uk/product/al...to-1500kg/

Last edited by Alistair on 7th Nov 2021 11:33am. Edited 1 time in total

You probably already know, but the blue cables shown on your photos are like old push bike brakes - a cable inside a sheath. There's then an exposed cable to the hitch with is pulled by the hitch or hand brake.

You then adjust the cables as required.

The hitch has a damped compression piece - so as the car slows, the hitch is compressed & that applies the brake by pulling the cable.

Gary

Perhaps I should also have added modified to my post. I do think it would be worth your while to read the info on the DVSA site and I hope I don't sound preachy, (it is Sunday after all ). You can IIRC alter a trailer built prior to October 2012 but yours is an import and may give a few more problems.

Any way, good luck with your project.  Cheers
Richard

(there are no such things as an ordinary FullFat, an ordinary cat or too many tools)
2011 TDV8 Vogue Santorini Black
Gap IIDBT

Ultimately I think it's all gonna come down too how easy you want too make your life in doing the conversion as you'll have two options.

If you go to a dealer, you can get a brand new axle beam and get one the same dimensions with the braked hubs and new wheels then all you need is a suitable tow hitch with a brake cable. Something like this I suspect you'll be paying in the region of £800-£1200 in total if you can fit it all by yourself but you know everything will be brand new and run nicely with no seized bolts etc too worry about.

You can obviously go 2nd hand but me personally, I'm not a fan of fitting 2nd hand braking components. You may get lucky and find one on ebay that's the correct size and it works a dream.... personally I wouldn't as you have no way of telling if it's genuine or not as well as if it's knackered or not plus if you do get stopped by the Dvsa and they do a brake test on you, they prob wouldn't either blink an eye if they can see its a new rear axle setup

Good luck either way tho

This is my thinking. I've got an existing fully galvanised heavy duty frame trailer with leafs, which bounce around no way near as much as the caravan type hubs with suspension - better than some of the cheap English trailers.

Surely I would be in a better position having my trailer with new hubs, cables and inertia hitch than a 2nd hand trailer with these, but they could all be shot and rusted and need replacing anyway.

I might only get £500 for my trailer un-braked and it cost £1,500 for a 2nd hand braked one so, cost would be £1,000 plus any new parts needed. A new axle, cables and coupling shouldn't be more than £900, potentially less if the hubs can be matched to the existing wheels. 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

I think I'm over thinking it.

The photos of my axle clearly show where the stub axles are welded and the hubs fit on. Isn't it as simple as removing the wheels and corroded hubs to reveal the spindles (stub axles) and just fitting braked hubs instead? Then just fit a coupling and brake lines. 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

Personally mate I'd just get a whole new axle and coupling hitch. That way you know its all good for a few years and you won't be having to replace the shows, lines etc in 6 months time. It may well be a bit expensive for the initial layout but long term it will be the cheaper out lay.

I just looked it up on a trailer site,

axle with hubs £350-£550
Brake lines £50
Coupling hitch £250

Think I'd be going down that route and then you know where you stand with it all.

It's a bit more expensive than that (unless you've found a really cheap site I don't know about).

2m wide axle with hubs would be custom made and more like £800, £300 for a 80mm 1.3T hitch and £50 for brake lines.

If I leave the axle, which is galvanised and in good condition:

Braked hubs with new bearings - £280
Brake lines - £50
Coupling - £300 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8